“When elections and even control of the government hinge on a few states or a few thousand votes, and you think the other party is not just wrong on policy but also immoral and unpatriotic, it becomes easier to justify doing whatever it takes to win, regardless of its democratic merit.”

The reason I wanted to read this book was because the factors in the premise are why the two parties are calcifying. They are arresting into level 4 development in constructive development theory.

The more cemented things become, the more force will be required to resolve it.

I want understand this dynamically, specifically as it relates to our country.

“Our argument centers on three elements. First, long-term tectonic shifts have pushed the parties apart while making the views within each party more uniform. This is the familiar trend toward gradually increasing partisan polarization. Second, shorter-term shocks, catalyzed especially by Trump, have sped up polarization on identity issues-those related to race, ethnicity, religion, and gender, And third, it is precisely these identity issues that voters in both parties care more about-exacerbating divisions even further and giving politicians every incentive to continue to play to them.”

“voters who are willing to split their ticket can help decide key elections, even as split-ticket voting becomes increasingly rare in a calcified era.”

“…overall, congressional politics reverted to its norm of strong partisanship. This is why Republican leaders would rather suffer an embarrassing Speaker election and appease hardliners in their party than pursue a deal with moderate Democrats.”